Snap-to-grid system

Abstract

A snap-to-grid situational awareness system that efficiently provides geographic, demographic and topical interest awareness information obtained from the location reporting mobile communication devices. The snap-to-grid feature allows demographic data for situational awareness statistics to be computed, stored and displayed on a snap-to-grid coordinate basis. This innovation greatly improves the functionality of a situational awareness system whole reducing memory and computing resources utilized when providing situational awareness functionality.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing situational awareness information associated with mobile communication devices, comprising creating a snap-to-grid database by:
 (a) for a selected location area, receiving location tracking data from a plurality of mobile communication devices for a time interval,   (b) for each mobile communication device providing the location tracking data for the time interval, determining a predominant snap-to-grid location reference point for the time interval,   (c) for each mobile communication device providing the location tracking data for the time interval, storing the predominant snap-to-grid location reference point for the time interval in a location record for the mobile communication device in a snap-to-grid database, and   (d) for each mobile communication device providing the location tracking data for the time interval, obtaining or updating profile data for a user identity associated with the mobile communication device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 continually incrementing the time interval and repeating steps (a) through (e) for the incremented time interval; and   providing situational awareness for mobile communication devices represented in the snap-to-grid database by:   receiving an insight analysis query identifying location and time period data for mobile communication devices represented in the snap-to-grid database,   identifying snap-to-grid geographic reference points and time intervals responsive to the insight analysis query,   identifying mobile communication devices responsive to the insight analysis query,   identifying profile data for responsive mobile communication devices,   generating an insight analysis displays reflecting member presence and profile statistics responsive to the insight analysis query, and   presenting the insight analysis display.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the insight analysis identifies the user identity associated with a selected mobile communication device a selected time duration comprising a plurality of time increments;   the insight analysis display presents location statistics including a number of snap-to-grid location reference points where a mobile communication device associated with the user identity was located and representations of an amount of time that the mobile communication device was located proximate to each snap-to-grid location reference point.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the insight analysis display further comprises demographic statistics for user identities associated with mobile communication devices responsive to the insight analysis query. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the insight analysis identifies a selected snap-to-grid location reference point and a selected time duration comprising a plurality of time increments;   the insight analysis display presents location statistics include a number of mobile communication devices located proximate to the snap-to-grid location reference points during each time increment in the time duration.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the profile data comprises demographic data obtained from the mobile communication devices. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the profile data comprises data obtained from a profile database. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the profile data comprises demographic data obtained from social media files associated with the mobile communication devices. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the profile data comprises data obtained from an enrollment database. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the profile data comprises data obtained from an affiliation database. 
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions for causing a computer-controlled device to perform a method for handling location data associated with mobile communication devices, comprising:
 (a) for a selected location area, receiving location tracking data from a plurality of mobile communication devices for a time interval;   (b) for each mobile communication device providing the location tracking data for the time interval, determining a predominant snap-to-grid location reference point for the time interval;   (c) for each mobile communication device providing the location tracking data for the time interval, storing the predominant snap-to-grid location reference point for the time interval in a location record for the mobile communication device in a snap-to-grid database;   (d) for each mobile communication device providing the location tracking data for the time interval, obtaining or updating profile data for a user identity associated with the mobile communication device;   (e) for each mobile communication device providing the location tracking data for the time interval, storing or updating the profile data in association with the location record for the mobile communication device in the snap-to-grid database; and   (f) continually incrementing the time interval and repeating steps (a) through (e) for the incremented time interval.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 11 , further comprising providing situational awareness for mobile communication devices represented in the snap-to-grid database by:
 receiving an insight analysis query identifying location and time period data for mobile communication devices represented in the snap-to-grid database,   identifying snap-to-grid geographic reference points and time intervals responsive to the insight analysis query,   identifying mobile communication devices responsive to the insight analysis query,   identifying profile data for responsive mobile communication devices,   generating an insight analysis displays reflecting member presence and profile statistics responsive to the insight analysis query, and   presenting the insight analysis display.   
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the insight analysis identifies the user identity associated with a selected mobile communication device a selected time duration comprising a plurality of time increments;   the insight analysis display presents location statistics including a number of snap-to-grid location reference points where a mobile communication device associated with the user identity was located and representations of an amount of time that the mobile communication device was located proximate to each snap-to-grid location reference point.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the profile data comprises demographic data obtained from one or more of the following: the mobile communication devices, social media files associated with the mobile communication devices, a profile database, an enrollment database, an affiliation database. 
     
     
         15 . A system operative for displaying data associated with mobile communication devices, comprising:
 means for receiving an insight analysis query identifying location and time period data for mobile communication devices represented in a snap-to-grid database;   means for identifying snap-to-grid location reference points and time intervals responsive to the insight analysis query;   means for identifying mobile communication devices responsive to the insight analysis query;   means for identifying profile data for responsive mobile communication devices;   means for generating an insight analysis display reflecting member presence and profile statistics responsive to the insight analysis query; and   means for presenting the insight analysis display.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the insight analysis display further comprises demographic statistics for user identities associated with mobile communication devices responsive to the insight analysis query. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the insight analysis identifies a selected snap-to-grid location reference point and a selected time duration comprising a plurality of time increments;   the insight analysis display presents location statistics including a number of mobile communication devices located proximate to the snap-to-grid location reference points during each time increment in the time duration.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the insight analysis identifies a user identity associated with a selected mobile communication device a selected time duration comprising a plurality of time increments;   the insight analysis display presents location statistics including a number of snap-to-grid location reference points where a mobile communication device associated with the user identity was located and a representation of an amount of time that the mobile communication device was located proximate to a snap-to-grid location reference point.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the insight analysis display comprises a chart. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the insight analysis display comprises a map.